Vacuum cleaners are designed to absorb dust from floors and other surfaces, using suction created by an air pump in the unit. Besides the manually operated type, robotic or autonomous vacuum cleaners have also been designed to make the task easier. Vacuum cleaners are extensively used in the residential sector and demand for residential robotic vacuum cleaners is expected to increase substantially over the next five to six years. Residential robotic vacuum cleaners can be programmed to navigate around a specific space and then return to its respective docking station in order to recharge the unit’s batteries. Components of robotic vacuum cleaners include programming software, power system, cleaning system and batteries. Besides floor cleaning capability, some units are able to absorb dust from the atmosphere, and even clean hard-to-reach corners. Robotic vacuum cleaners are also designed to perform tasks such as mopping and UV sterilization. Robotic vacuum cleaners offer ease of access, enhanced reliability and performance, and cost-effective cleaning solutions

Rising awareness among consumers about a clean dust-free environment and the need for convenience is expected to fuel demand for residential robotic vacuum cleaners. Benefits such as removing allergens from the atmosphere, easier handling in terms of navigation and design support the demand for residential robotic vacuum cleaners across the globe. However, low customer awareness, product acceptance as compared to conventional vacuum cleaners in emerging countries and high price of product are among the key factors expected to hamper market growth. In addition, battery issues could restrict adoption of robotic vacuum cleaners in the residential sector as consumers are becoming increasingly tech-savvy, with demand for effective products irrespective of price being a prime concern across the globe. Furthermore, development of sophisticated and advanced technology-equipped robotic vacuum cleaners is a major concern companies must consider while entering the market.

To overcome price sensitivity, companies across the globe are innovating solutions such as touchscreen option, voice recognition control and automatic return to charging station, among others. These technological developments can be leveraged by companies entering the market in the near future, which is expected to enhance competition among existing players in the market. For instance, introduction of residential robotic vacuum cleaners equipped with home security functionality in South Korea is expected to drive large-scale adoption, due to which players are exploring options to enter the residential robotic vacuum cleaner market.

The residential robotic vacuum cleaner market is segmented on the basis of robot type, mode of charging and applications. Based on type of robot, the classification includes in-house robots and outdoor robots. Tasks such as sweeping, mopping and floor-washing inside the home are performed by in-house robots. Outdoor robots are used to perform tasks such as window-washing and automatic pool cleaning, among others. Residential robotic vacuum cleaners come with two modes of charging: manual and auto battery charging. On the basis of applications, the classification includes floor sweeping, removing hazardous particles from the air and dust filtering, among others. On the basis of geography, the market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Japan, the Middle East and Asia Pacific.

IRobot Corp. has a wide product portfolio of robotic vacuum cleaners, which offer services such as room-to-room navigation, self-charging, edge-cleaning and self-adjusting cleaning head. These devices are categorized on the basis of functionalities being performed for different cleaning patterns and modes. Recently, a new product – iRobot Bravaa – was launched, which is capable of providing assistance for cleaning hard surfaces effectively, as compared to other available products such as Roomba and Scooba. Apart from iRobot Corp., the prominent players in the residential robotic vacuum cleaner market include Electrolux, LG Electronics, Inc., Hanool Robotics, ECOVACS, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Neato Robotics, Inc., Pentair Ltd., iRobot Corp., Metapo, Inc. and Mastsutek Enterprise Co. Ltd.